Monday, April 19, 2010

My daughter is tougher than your daughter!

My daughter, Eldest, is embarking tomorrow on an amazing feat: backpacking 2,650 miles (4,260 km) on the Pacific Crest Trail. It starts at Campo, CA at the border to Mexico, and ends in Manning Park, BC, Canada.

Time for me to get to blogging again (which I have been neglecting lately due to general busy-ness and a few too many good detective novels). But now I get to worry (mother's perogative) & follow my daughter's progress on this daunting task.

What posesses this child of mine, I can't say. Obviously I like nature, hiking, the outdoors, but carrying a big pack and walking 2650 miles!?! That just seems cruel on them poor feet -- but I'm supportive and admit to being very impressed nonetheless.

It's been my daughter's dream for many years, and together with her college roommate she's plotted and planned this for a few years.

Campo: April 20 is Day 0, Mile 0Campo, CA is a small town east of San Diego (popn 3251, elev 2620 ft)For the first 110 miles, the PCT passes through Lake Morena County Park and beneath Interstate 8, then climbs through chaparral, scrub oaks, and pines to the rim of the Laguna Mountains. They'll stop at mile 43 in Mt.Laguna, popn 80, elev 6000ft, to resupply.The trail dips into Anza-Borrego Desert State Park at Scissors Crossing, then winds up, down, and around the San Felipe Hills and lesser mountains of the Cleveland National Forest.(info from Wikipedia and Forest Service brochure)Warner Springs, approx.April 30, Mile 110.6Warner Springs, CA is a small outpost with a very limited store, which is also where my first package will reach them. From Warner Springs, the PCT continues through the Cleveland National Forest before crossing Highway 74 at 4,900’ and climbing the backbone of the San Jacinto Mountains.

For some peace of mind for the poor parents & loved ones, they'll be carrying a SPOT (Satellite Personal Orbital Tracker), which is basically a GPS tracking device. Each day, they plan to press the "I'm ok" button, and then we can follow their progress by going to

About the crazy Kraut who writes this blog:

I call Alaska home, but am originally from Germany. I'm incredibly lucky to have a job as a naturalist, teaching and hiking the great outdoors. My family:
The Prof (my husband);
Eldest (flown the coop);
Wolfman (teenage son);
Liesl (youngest pixie).